AAUW played a critical role in saving and supporting women scientists and scholars during World War II, as our SLO Branch Brown Bag 'n' Books group learned after reading its October book selection, Sisters in Science:
Organizations established specifically for women academics understood better than most that women face steeper odds when it came to securing jobs abroad, especially Jewish women. These groups acted immediately to assist women fleeing the Nazis.
The American Association of University Women (AAUW), along with the International Federation of University Women (IFUW) and its British arm, the British Federation of University Women (BFUW) remained quite active during the Nazi era. Their collective work saved the lives of many women scholars.
— p. 151, Sisters in Science by Olivia Campbell
Esther Brunauer, then AAUW Director of the International Relations Office, was especially dedicated in her support of women scholars during this time. Her legacy continues with AAUW's support of women scholars through the AAUW Fund. You can see a list of the impressive 2026-2027 AAUW Fund Fellows and Grant Recipients from California and their projects by clicking HERE.
Further, you, too, can support the work of AAUW through the AAUW Fund by clicking on the donation link on AAUW's home page HERE. Be sure to connect your donation with your AAUW account so that it counts towards our branch goal of increasing the number of individual branch participants to the AAUW Fund! Our goal is 14 donors (one more than last year!) -- we are at 11 as of the last report (end of September). And good news! We have now donated a sufficient amount ($803) to guarantee one Named Gift Honoree — let's keep it going towards a second Named Gift Honoree!
Thank you to all who have donated to the AAUW Fund so far!
Debra Valencia-Laver, AAUW Fund Chair
